Unit 7 Overview
Unit 7 has three big storylines:
How American farmers forged a political party
to challenge railroads and industrialists
How African Americans responded to
increasing segregation and discrimination
How America acquired territory overseas
through wars
The Farming Game
Target 7.01
Instructions
$1000
Farming
Game
Instructions
1885
Results for 1885:
50
$250
50
$100
50
$100
$10
10
10
$100
50
$250
x2
x3
x1
x1
x1
x2
x2
x2
x1
x2
x3
= $500
= $100
= $100
= $20
$100
$750
$810
$1570
= $1260
A serious lack of early
spring rains destroyed the
wheat, barley, and oat crop.
The prices paid for corn,
beans, field peas, and
tobacco are up because of
drought east of the
Mississippi River. Cattle
prices are depressed
because of large herds of
range stock being sold.
The price for sheep is up
and the price of hogs is at
an all-time high.
A Crop
B # of Acres
C Cost per Acre
D Total Cost of
that Crop
Crop
toofcarry
over your profit from
Remember
=
CORNthe previous year. Are
x $5you going to
gamble it all or save $500
for expenses?
x
=
E Return on
Investment
2
1
BEANS
$5
WHEAT
x $2
Results for 1886
=
2
BARLEY
x $2
=
2
=
2
=
1
=
2
=
2
Total Cost of
Animals
Return on your
Investment
=
0
=
3
=
0
The coldest winter in history
with
x $2
temperatures 60 below zero
x $1
FIELDdestroyed
HAY
most of the cattle
and
hogs. Sheep pricesxare
TOBACCO
$10high.
Abundant spring and summer
rains
x $5
FIELD PEAS
has produced excellent crops. The
ANIMALS
# of Animals Cost Per Animal
price of corn, wheat, barely, and
oats is good. The bean crop has a
CATTLE
small yield because ofxa $10
late frost.
Limited demand for hayx accounts
for
SHEEP
$5
current hay prices.
HOGS
x $5
OATS
F Profit (= Total Cost of Crop
X Return)
Profit (= Total cost of
animals X Return)
STARTING CAPITAL (from previous year)
$
SUBTRACT TOTAL COSTS OF CROPS AND ANIMALS (add up column D)
-
PROFIT (add up all your profits on animals and crops) (add up column F)
+
SUBTRACT EXPENSES ($500.00 for shipping and living expenses)
-$500.00
TOTAL MONEY LEFT AT THE END OF THE YEAR: 1886
A Crop
B # of Acres
C Cost per Acre
D Total Cost of
that Crop
Crop
toofcarry
over your profit from
Remember
=
CORNthe previous year. Are
x $5you going to
gamble it all or save $500
for expenses?
x
=
E Return on
Investment
1
1
BEANS
$5
WHEAT
x $2
=
2
BARLEY
x $2
=
2
=
1
deals a crushing$1blow to
x spring
farmers. After a hot, dry
with
TOBACCO
$10
little rain, a plague of grasshoppers
x $5
FIELD PEAS
attacks. Most crops are badly
ANIMALS
# of Animals Cost Per Animal
damaged. Cattle prices are very
good. Sheep prices are depressed
CATTLE but hog prices arex good.
$10
=
2
=
1
=
1
Total Cost of
Animals
Return on your
Investment
=
3
SHEEP
x $5
=
1
HOGS
x $5
=
2
OATS
FIELDNature
HAY
Results for 1887
x
$2
x
Oh No! The railroad
raises its rates $100.
SUBTRACT TOTAL COSTS OF CROPS AND ANIMALS
(adddeduct
up column
D) from
Now
$600
your
profit F)
PROFIT (add up all your profits on animals and crops) (add
up column
STARTING CAPITAL (from previous year)
SUBTRACT EXPENSES ($500.00 for shipping and living expenses)
TOTAL MONEY LEFT AT THE END OF THE YEAR: 1887
F Profit (= Total Cost of Crop
X Return)
Profit (= Total cost of
animals X Return)
$
+
-$500.00
A Crop
B # of Acres
C Cost per Acre
D Total Cost of
that Crop
Crop
toofcarry
over your profit from
Remember
=
CORNthe previous year. Are
x $5you going to
gamble it all or save $600
for expenses?
x
=
E Return on
Investment
3
3
BEANS
$5
WHEAT
x $2
=
0
BARLEY
x $2
=
0
=
0
$1
drought destroyed
the
x $10
wheat, barley, oats, and
tobacco
TOBACCO
crops. Corn, beans, and
field peas
x $5
FIELD PEAS
are in good condition thanks to
ANIMALS
# of Animals Cost Per Animal
irrigation systems in the west.
Sheep prices are low. Hogs are
CATTLE infested with tapeworms.
x $10
=
2
=
1
=
3
Total Cost of
Animals
Return on your
Investment
=
2
SHEEP
=
1
OATS
Results for 1888
x
FIELDAHAY
serious
$2
x
x $5
Oh No!= You were late0
on your mortgage
STARTING CAPITAL (from previous year)
payment. The bank
SUBTRACT TOTAL COSTS OF CROPS AND ANIMALS (add up column D)
charges you an extra
PROFIT (add up all your profits on animals and crops) $100
(add updollars.
column F)
HOGS
F Profit (= Total Cost of Crop
X Return)
Profit (= Total cost of
animals X Return)
x $5
SUBTRACT EXPENSES ($500.00 for shipping and living expenses)
TOTAL MONEY LEFT AT THE END OF THE YEAR: 1888
$
+
-$600.00
A Crop
B # of Acres
C Cost per Acre
D Total Cost of
that Crop
Crop
toofcarry
over your profit from
Remember
=
CORNthe previous year. Are
x $5you going to
gamble it all or save $600
for expenses?
x
=
E Return on
Investment
2
1
BEANS
$5
WHEAT
x $2
=
2
BARLEY
x $2
Results for 1889
=
2
x $2
=
2
=
1
=
2
=
2
Total Cost of
Animals
Return on your
Investment
=
0
=
3
=
0
OATS
A good spring season of rain
x
FIELD
HAY
brought
about abundant $1
crops this
year of wheat, barley,x oats,
TOBACCO
$10 and
tobacco. Corn and beans
x $5 were
FIELD PEAS
plentiful while field hay and field
ANIMALS
# of Animals Cost Per Animal
peas suffered from overproduction.
Cattle and hogs suffered from
CATTLE
x $10
disease but sheep are at
an all-time
high. x $5
SHEEP
HOGS
x $5
F Profit (= Total Cost of Crop
X Return)
Profit (= Total cost of
animals X Return)
STARTING CAPITAL (from previous year)
$
SUBTRACT TOTAL COSTS OF CROPS AND ANIMALS (add up column D)
-
PROFIT (add up all your profits on animals and crops) (add up column F)
+
SUBTRACT EXPENSES ($600.00 for shipping and living expenses)
-$600.00
TOTAL MONEY LEFT AT THE END OF THE YEAR: 1889
Debriefing: The Farming Game
What was the most difficult part of the
farming experience?
Would you have wanted to be a farmer
during the 1880s? Why or why not?
Why is so hard to get ahead if you make the
wrong choice early in the game?